Settle Down
by hamm3rheart
Summary: Part 1 of 3. He didn't know how to ask...she didn't know how to tell. 'L.O.V.E.' mini-series


_****_**I don't own anything. Not even Mako. Enjoy the fluff. And yes, I'm shipping Bosami, because Bolin deserves a nice, non-bender girl. Mako is perfect with Korra.**

**'Nuff said.**

* * *

_I wanna settle down_

_I wanna settle down_

_Won't you settle down with me?_

_Settle down _~ 'Settle Down' Kimbra

* * *

He didn't know how to ask her. They'd been together for about 5 years now and each year they drew closer and closer. But now…after 5 long, wonderful years, he didn't know how to ask her…

How to ask her to spend the rest of his life with him.

He paced his living room floor, eager for her to come back home. Admittedly, he needed to loosen his nerves, so he drank a small bit of sake to calm his nerves.

Of course, one drink turned into 5, but even with his nerves slightly settled, he was still a mess. He needed brotherly advice. Surely the ladies' man would know things about love…he's fallen for dozens of women within the span of a night!

He called Bolin on his phone (unknowingly interrupting his _intimate_ moment with Asami), and presented his dilemma to him.

"So…what do I do?" He asked with a nervous edge to his voice.

"Well, bro, since you love her so much why not just tell her how you feel instead of hiding behind the courage juice?" Mako glared at the phone he held in his hand, but then sighed at the fact that he was right.

"This is true. Thanks." He said shortly as he hung up and as soon as he had, a spark of an idea came to his mind, suddenly grateful for the small token of "I'm Sorry' money that Asami had given to Korra and Mako on her father's behalf.

Although it was mainly for Mako, he would surely use some on the surprise he had planned.

/

Korra came home from a being at Air Temple Island for the majority of the day, mainly with Katara in the temple where she and the Elder Waterbender were conversing about her future with the firebender.

_"I've been having random stomach pains. As well as unusual food cravings. Any idea as to what that means?" Korra asked as Katara began rubbing some sweet smelling oil on her hands and asking her to remove her shirt._

_"I have a hunch. But I can only be sure if I feel anything." She said as she began feeling on her stomach and after a few moments, she smiled._

_"Just as I thought." Katara said as she looked at the young Avatar with mirth in her experienced eyes._

_"Wh-what?" Korra asked nervous._

_"You have a little one growing within you." Korra stared down at her stomach and looked at it wide-eyed._

_**When exactly was the last time she and Mako were intimate…? It hasn't been that long...a few weeks at the most…he's been out working and she's been heeding to her teachings and lessons with Tenzin and the others…**_

**_Had she really lost track of time that easily?_**

**_"How far along am I?" Korra asked as Katara began washing her hands of the oil._**

_"Approximately three weeks. Not very long, but be sure to take heed as your body develops to this drastic change." Korra nodded her head; trying to take it all in._

**_She's a mother…_**

**_How exactly am I supposed to tell Mako?_**

She sighed as she flipped over and began taking off her boots, which led to her walking to the shower; leaving a trail of her water tribe clothing behind her.

/

Mako had gone to approximately 10 different stores, buying things that he knew Korra had liked, or otherwise loved, like white chocolate covered strawberries, her favorite chicken and spicy garlic dumplings, her favorite jasmine sake, and a new dress; fitted to her size. Along with flowers, her favorite scented candles, and above else, the actual ring.

It had both an aquamarine jewel as well as a small ruby on the side with diamonds all around, encased in white gold. He hoped she would like it. He'd gone out on a limb spending a small amount of the money they were saving up to purchase a place of their own since Bolin moved in with Asami a year ago, and since then their newfound relationship has gone quite well. In the back of his mind, he wondered how exactly they'd celebrate. He thought about physical intimacy and shivered. Sure they have sex on occasion (well as much as she could manage, seeing as though she _is_ the Avatar for crying out loud), and whenever it happens, there's always heat.

Heat from her embrace…heat from the soft damp flesh between her legs…from the friction they both caused…but above else, heat from her love. His heart pounded within his chest as he thought on their intimacy, and his hands began to itch to feel her flesh. To hear her moans. The whispered 'I Love Yous.'

He began to crave the way her nails raked down his back as he pounded into her relentlessly. Without restraint. Without hesitancy. He shook his head lightly to clear his head of it and proceeded in getting the gifts for her.

He arrived home to find a trail of his girlfriend's clothing from the living room to the back. Judging by the sound of the shower further in the back, he would guess that she's in there. A flicker of heat danced on his cheeks as he pictured the water going down her sculpted stomach and into the insides of her thighs, and down her calves; as well as other droplets of water that disappeared between her breasts and ran down the tips of them and back down to the bathtub below.

'_Pull yourself together, Mako. Tonight is about one thing and one thing only._' He told himself as he proceeded in putting down his girlfriend's treats and picking up her clothing.

/

She quickly turned off the shower, just as she heard some rustling somewhere in the house. Bringing a fist up to her face with a flame ready to go, she quickly opened the door and ran out to the living room.

There stood Mako, in a white wife-beater, putting flowers in a blue crystal vase with spiral designs of gold along the sides and as soon as he turned around and saw her in the towel, his heart swelled with warmth.

He walked the few steps to get to her and kissed her cheek just as she put her flame away. "Hello beautiful. Thought I was an intruder?"

She stood there flustered and embarrassed. "Kind of…" He chuckled and ran his fingers through her hair; feeling the still wet tresses and smiled softly.

"I have some gifts for you." He said as she quickly bended the water from her hair and skin and grabbed a robe hanging on the coat rank.

"Oh? What could they be?" She asked as he led her to the table where a spread of her favorite foods and drinks were before her. Her stomach began to growl hungrily.

"Hungry?" Mako asked as she grinned and began grabbing chopsticks and reaching for dumplings.

"There's something I wish to do first before you eat, Korra." He said as she paused mid-reach and looked at him with a curious look.

"Yeah? What is it?" She said as she straightened herself and looked him in the eyes. He then looked away as nervousness began to once again claw at his insides, making his stomach churn and everything he wanted to say in his brain be said like a coursing river in a storm. Fast paced and rushed.

He didn't want that.

He wanted to be able to say what he needed to say without stuttering or hesitancy, but with someone as beautiful as Korra-not to mention the Avatar- words seem to fail him majority of the time.

"Well, um…first off, you know that I love you, right? That you make me the happiest man alive just to have you in my life; not just as me being the boyfriend of the Avatar-that in itself holds a lot of responsibility- but…as the boyfriend and lover of _you_, Korra. You're my world. My true love. We're destined to be together." He nervously got down on one knee and felt around in his back pocket for the small box.

"With that said," He opened the box and there stood the ring. "Will you do me the honor of being Mrs. Hat Trick?" He asked with a flicker of amusement in his eyes.

She was stunned speechless. So many emotions were coursing their way through her and she could only really truly, pinpoint on a few. Happiness, joy, completion, contentedness.

Her facial expression however, was calm. "Say something, Korra." He said as he placed his hand on her cheek and she placed hers on top of his.

"Are you sure you're fine with being the husband of the Avatar? That holds a lot of rep." She said as her blue eyes shone with light mockery.

"I was ready to be yours 5 years ago when I witnessed you get your bending back. I realized that I couldn't live without you and that I was willing to be anything and everything for you. I love you just that much. There's nothing I wouldn't do for you." He said as she felt her eyes well up with tears of love. She then stretched up on her toes and as she wrapped her arms around his neck (and her robe opened), she kissed him full on the mouth and as he slid his arms around her waist and onto her back, she pulled back and smiled. The answer to her previous question being answered within his devotion for her.

"I was ready the first time I kissed you. I'm surprised you didn't ask sooner." He smiled sheepishly and kissed her nose.

"I really wasn't sure how to ask." She giggled.

"Well, now that we're on 'good news' train, I have something important to tell you." Korra said as she looked down at her stomach slightly and back up into his intense honey gaze.

"You're gonna be a father." Mako looked at her with a very intense gaze now and she began to get really nervous. All at once he fell to his knees before her and placed his face on her slightly bulging stomach.

"How far along are you?"

"Three weeks. Katara says I should pay attention to the drastic changes my body is making. You should too." She said as he lifted his head and kissed her stomach and hugged her waist.

"This is the happiest day of my life." Mako said as tears of joy streamed down her face. Korra had no idea she was crying until one of her tears dripped onto Mako's face.

"Mine too." She said as he stood and smashed his lips to hers in a kiss so passionate she was sure the Spirits themselves could feel it too.

* * *

_"I'll love you well_  
_I wanna settle down_  
_It's time to bring you down_  
_On just one knee for now_  
_Let's make our vows"_


End file.
